Sichuan poached fish with chilli oil

Your ingredients

Get ready: Kitchen scales, chopping board, mixing bowls, measuring spoons and a suitable saucepan or frying pan.

• 🐟250 g boneless skinless white-fish fillet
• 🐟Fish coating: pinch salt, pinch white pepper, 1 tsp unsalted stock, 1 tsp cornflour and ½ tsp oil
• 🥣6–15 dried chillies, to taste
• 🥬2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
• 🥣1 tsp oil for toasting spices
• 🥣250 g beansprouts or finely sliced celery
• 🥣2 tbsp neutral oil for vegetables and broth
• 🥣2 garlic cloves, minced
• 🥣1 tsp minced ginger
• 🥬1 spring onion, chopped
• 🥣1½ tbsp Sichuan chilli bean paste, doubanjiang
• 🥣1 tsp chilli powder, optional or less to taste
• 💧400 ml hot water or unsalted stock
• 🥣A little chopped coriander
• 🥣2 tbsp neutral oil for finishing

Let’s make it

1. Prepare fish and spices

   Check fish for bones and slice diagonally. Coat with its seasoning. Gently toast dried chillies and Sichuan pepper in the teaspoon of oil, cool and chop coarsely. Keep your face clear of rising chilli fumes.

2. Cook the vegetable base

   Heat half the broth oil in a wok. Cook beansprouts thoroughly until steaming hot, or fry celery until tender-crisp. Transfer to a large heatproof serving bowl.

3. Poach the fish

   Use the remaining broth oil to fry garlic, ginger and spring onion. Add doubanjiang and optional chilli powder, then hot water. Bring to the boil, reduce to a gentle simmer and add fish slices individually. Cook until opaque and steaming hot throughout, usually 3–5 minutes depending on thickness. Spoon fish and broth over the vegetables.

4. Finish the fragrance

   Gently warm the finishing oil with the toasted chopped spices in a small pan. Spoon over the fish and add coriander. This controlled method avoids pouring very hot oil over a bowl at the table. Start with fewer chillies: you can always increase them next time.